Tomato and Cheddar Forever
A salad inspired by a grilled cheese
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Hello to all My Crispy Cheese Bits,
A few months back, I was pitching recipe ideas to Cabot Creamery for a summer dish using their aged cheddars. Immediately, my head went to a tomato salad that would channel the flavors in a tomato and cheddar grilled cheese.
I was chasing the way Cabot sharp cheddar plays off of aromatic, self-saucing, sweet and lightly acidic fresh tomatoes. I also wanted to punch up the textural contrasts as much as I could, which meant that simply slicing the cheddar (as you would a mozzarella for Caprese salad) wouldn’t hit the mark.
The answer was not in the grilled cheese itself, but in the part that melts out the sides, hits the griddle, melts, browns, and crisps up. To make my concept work, I’d transform the cheddar into crispy bits of frico, and make them rain all over a platter of sliced tomatoes. Frico is essentially a thin layer of grated cheese that is allowed to melt and then brown. When done right, it will crisp when it cools. I’d done this many times with Parmigiano, but never with cheddar. That didn’t stop me from writing up the idea as though it would work. (Anyone who has watched my videos knows that sometimes I just “say stuff” and then we have to find out if it’s true.)
I was psyched when our friends at Cabot green-lit the idea—and even more psyched when my cheese adventures were triumphant. As Cabot cheddars age, they lose moisture content, just like Parm, which means they can frico.
I sprinkled an even layer of grated Cabot cheddar in a cast-iron pan until it started to brown, then lifted it off the surface like a lacy crepe. Once it cooled, it broke into satisfying shards. I toasted panko in the same pan, adding a little smoked paprika and garlic powder, spices that complement both tomatoes and cheddar. Mixing the smoky panko and the Cabot frico gave me cheddar crumbs that eclipsed anything I had imagined.
This time of year, tomatoes don’t need much. Salt, pepper, some olive oil, and a few dashes of sherry vinegar opened up their flavors and added to the juiciness in the platter. Then they’re showered with the cheddar crumbs, which I like to think of as added value shattered croutons.
My recipe yields about twice as many cheddar crumbs as you’ll need and they seem to last indefinitely, stored airtight at room temperature. Sprinkle the extras onto pasta alla vodka or pasta alla norma, throw them over shrimp scampi or grilled clams, or toss them into an antipasto salad. Or—just hang on to them for a couple of days; when the tomatoes are hitting, you should eat them several times a week.
xoCLM
Special thanks to Cabot Creamery for partnering with me on this recipe, which was so fun to develop (and also to eat).
Go to https://cabotcreamery.com/pages/where-to-buy to find Cabot cheese & dairy products near you!
The recipe for Tomato and Cheddar Forever is posted below for everyone.
Tomato and Cheddar Forever
NEW! recipe: July 18, 2025
4 to 6 servings
2 pounds high-summer tomatoes, any types and sizes
Kosher salt; freshly ground pepper
Sherry vinegar, for seasoning
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 ounces sharp cheddar, preferably Cabot, grated on the large holes of a box grater
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Slice tomatoes ¼-inch thick if large, and in half if small, and arrange on a platter. Season with salt and pepper, then lubricate with a few splashes of vinegar and drizzle generously with oil. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towel. Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the grated cheese in an even layer. Use a rubber spatula to tuck the edges in. Cook until cheese melts and is golden brown, rotating the skillet as needed to cook evenly, 9 to 12 minutes. Season with black pepper.
Use a thin spatula to lift up the cheese frico, peeling it off the pan, and transfer it to the prepared plate. If it breaks into smaller pieces, it’s no big—you’re going to serve it in pieces anyway. Wipe out pan and repeat with remaining cheese.
As it cools, the frico will become crisp. Break into large shards and transfer to a large bowl.
Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the butter. When it’s foaming, add the panko and season with salt. Stir to coat the panko with butter and cook, stirring almost constantly, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder and paprika.
Transfer breadcrumbs to the bowl with the cheddar and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Gently turn the tomatoes over and spoon some of the accumulated juices over them. Top generously with cheddar crumbs (you will have some leftover; store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks).
Serve the salad with an extra drizzle of oil.
My favorite part is that of all the store near me, Walmart is the one with Cabot cheese and it’s shockingly well priced. We love a sneaky value recipe!
I was just thinking about your confit tomatoes in your cookbook and then this shows up. Looks even better. I have to make this.